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Keep It Real - Mixed Media by Banksy 2002 - MyArtBroker

Keep It Real
Mixed Media

Banksy

Price data unavailable

AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.

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Medium: Mixed Media

Edition size: 15

Year: 2002

Size: H 30cm x W 30cm

Signed: No

Format: Mixed Media

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Banksy's Keep It Real, created in 2002, is a mixed media artwork with an estimated value of £200,000 to £300,000. This unsigned piece has an auction history of four total sales since its entry to the market in November 2018. Over the past five years, the hammer price has ranged from £399,200 in October 2021 to £740,639 in March 2021. The average annual growth rate of this work is 11% and the average return to the seller is £484,431. The edition size of this artwork is limited to 15.

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Auction Results

Auction DateAuction HouseLocation
Hammer Price
Return to Seller
Buyer Paid
October 2021Sotheby's Online United Kingdom
March 2021International Art Centre New Zealand
October 2019Sotheby's London United Kingdom
November 2018Sotheby's New York United States

Meaning & Analysis

The chimpanzee image has been reproduced in various iterations and is arguably one of Banksy’s most recognisable images along with Girl With Balloon. The chimpanzee takes on anthropomorphic qualities as he is standing, hunched over,  just like a sad and disenchanted person would. The chimpanzee is staring at the ground, avoiding eye contact with the viewer of the artwork. Banksy has spray painted chimpanzees on streets, walls and bridges all over the world. The text on the sandwich boards differ with each iteration and frequently offer foreboding warnings about the future or satirical comments on the current state of society.

Keep It Real captures the essence of Banksy’s artistic style which is characterised by his use of the stencil technique. Banksy started off freehand spray painting however the artist realised that he could produce his drawings in a fraction of the time if he used stencils, as was done to achieve the chimpanzee in this canvas. Being able to rapidly produce artworks was a means for Banksy to avoid being caught by the police and preserve his anonymity.

  • Renowned British street artist, Banksy, is the enigmatic figure behind some of the most subversive works in the Urban Art scene. Despite his anonymity, the artists' disruptive stunts have not only gained him notoriety, but they have vocalised his stance on many social and political issues. As seen with the likes of Girl With Balloon and Napalm, Banksy uses his distinctive stencil technique to produce thought-provoking commentaries on challenging themes. The showcase of rebellion that lines his work has caused his secondary market value to soar in recent years, propelling him to the top of the Urban Art scene.